Bio

The BelleRegards are a four-piece folk band based out of Toronto and play what they like to call “rowdy folk”. With more than a hint of bluegrass and rockabilly, the band is identified by high-energy live shows, foot-stomping rhythms, trad breaks, and good humour. They love to get the crowd moving with them—whether to an upbeat two-step or swaying to a ballad, their shows invite you to join in...
more

The BelleRegards are a four-piece folk band based out of Toronto and play what they like to call “rowdy folk”. With more than a hint of bluegrass and rockabilly, the band is identified by high-energy live shows, foot-stomping rhythms, trad breaks, and good humour. They love to get the crowd moving with them—whether to an upbeat two-step or swaying to a ballad, their shows invite you to join in the fun. The members of the band hail from four different provinces in Canada and each bring a unique flavour to The BelleRegards' sound which is built on the raw vocals of Matthew Kingsley and Melanie Hilmi, driven by the slap-rhythms and bowed upright bass of Mitchell Thomson, and infused with old-timey French-Canadian fiddle by David Poulin.

In 2012, a passion for music brought each of the members to study audio production at the Harris Institute. Soon the boys were jamming in Matt's living room which drew the attention of Melanie who also wanted in. By the end of the year the four had launched a self-produced EP, "One Word" recalling the band's unorthodox name.

Throughout 2013 they produced and recorded their first full-length album entitled "Nothing to Lose", which was released in March of 2014. The album was recorded in a sprawling house along the Moira River and captures the organic feeling of open space and old wood.

“On full-length debut Nothing To Lose, they prove to be more versatile than the typical folk combo, mixing in bluegrass, rockabilly, country, and old-time folk flavours. Spirited instrumentation and nicely-knitted vocal harmonies are signatures.”
- Kerry Doole, New Canadian Music

The spring of 2014 saw The BelleRegards venture to the UK where they had their first taste of haggis and played for lively audiences in Glasgow, Cardiff and London. They also performed at the Mariposa Folk Festival in July and were well received there.

“The BelleRegards are an exciting up-and-coming band [...]. Their combination of strong vocals, excellent instrumentation and engaging stage presence earned them many new fans and supporters. Whether it was performing on the pub stage, doing collaborative workshops or even managing a singalong children’s session, this band was an ideal folk festival group. Let’s hope we hear more from them at other festivals and events in the future!”
- Mike Hill, Artistic Director, Mariposa Folk Festival

The band is currently planning to record a second album this fall for release in spring 2015, and is to follow-up on its UK tour with another visit to Europe.